Hair curler



March 4, 1969 A. COMPERE 3,430,636

HAIR GURLER Filed May 17, 1967 Sheet of 2 4/ A0 se COM/ 15W! arch 4, 1969 A. COMPERE 3,4309636 HAIR CURLER Filed May 17, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2 AMEN United States Patent 3,430,636 HAIR CURLER Alphonse Compere 11946 Depatie St., Montreal 9, Quebec, Canada Filed May 17, 1967, Ser. No. 639,105 U.S. Cl. 132-34 Int. Cl. A45d 2/14, 2/21 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a hair curler and has for its general object a hair curler which is very quickly and easily applied to a mesh of hair and can be as easily and as quickly removed from the hair.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a hair curler of the character described, which can be very easily controlled to wind any suitable length of a mesh of hair thereon.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a hair curler of the character described, which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a hair curler of the character described, which is manipulated by simple pressure applied at the ends thereof.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and :by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the hair curler in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the same;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the inside face of the hair clamping jaw;

FIGURE 4 is a partial plan view of the hair curler drum showing the opening and clasp for receiving the stud of the hair clamping jaw;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section taken along line 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the drum of the hair curler, looking at the left end of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal section taken along line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevation of the hair clamping 1 FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of the hair retaining rod;

FIGURE 9' is an end view of the hair retaining rod;

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal section of one of the finger pieces or buttons;

FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal section of one end cap of the drum, said FIGURE 11 being taken along line 1111 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 12 is an end elevation of the end cap of the drum;

FIGURE 13 is an elevation of the spindle inner part;

FIGURE 14 is an elevation of the spring for the spindle;

FIGURE 15 is an elevation of the spindle outer part;

FIGURE 16 is an end view of the spindle inner part of FIGURE 13, looking at the right end thereof;

Patented Mar. 4, 1969 FIGURE 17 is an end view of the spindle outer part of FIGURE 15, looking at the left end thereof;

FIGURE 18 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the spring clasp for the hair retaining jaw;

FIGURE 19 is a perspective view of another type of hair retaining jaw;

FIGURE 20 is a partial longitudinal section of a modified drum for the hair curler adapted to receive the jaw of FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 21 is an end view of the drum of FIG- URE 20;

FIGURE 22 is an end view of the drum of FIGURE 20 provided with the jaw of FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 23 is a perspective view of another type of hair clamping jaw;

FIGURE 24 is a partial longitudinal section of the hair curler drum modified to receive the clamping jaw of FIGURE 23;

FIGURE 25 is a right end view of the drum of FIG- URE 24 provided with the hair clamping jaw of FIG- URE 23;

FIGURE 26 is a left end view of the embodiment of FIGURE 24;

FIGURE 27 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the hair clamping jaw;

FIGURE 28 is a partial longitudinal section of the modified drum of the hair curler provided with the jaw of FIGURE 27;

FIGURE 29 is a right end elevation of the embodiment of FIGURE 28, the jaw being closed;

FIGURE 30 is a plan view of the retaining spring clasp used in the embodiment of FIGURE 28;

FIGURE 31, in the first sheet of drawings, is a plan elevation of a resilient element used as a hinge for the hair clamping jaw of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 32 is a longitudinal of still another embodiment of the hair curler of the present invention; and

FIGURE 33 is a cross section taken along line 33-33 of FIGURE 32.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, referring to FIGURES 1 to 18, the hair curler in accordance with the present invention comprises a hollow drum 1, of cylindrical shape, closed at one end by a cap 2 and at the other end by a clutching cap 3. Drum 1 and caps 2 and 3 are rigidly secured to one another. I

The hair curler comprises a spindle essentially made of two telescopic inner and outer parts 4 and 5 respectively. Spindle part 4 has an enlarged portion 4- provided with a circular radial flange 6. The cap 2 has a central hole and is fitted on the enlarged spindle part 4 and abuts against flange 6. A finger piece 7, also shown in FIG- URE 10, has an axial cavity to receive the portion of the spindle part 4 protruding outwardly from cap 2. Said finger piece 7 also slidably abuts against the outside face of cap 2 to retain the same on the spindle part 4 while allowing rotation of the cap 2 and, consequently, of the drum 1 with respect to the spindle part 4.

An L-shaped rod or bar 8 holds the finger piece 7 on the spindle part 4. The short portion of the rod 8 is inserted through aligned holes 9 of finger piece 7 and through a bore 10 made in the spindle part 4. The rod 8 is provided with ears 8 engaging the noncircular bore 10 to prevent rotation of the rod with respect to the drum 1. Thus, the major portion of the rod 8 extends parallel to the long axis of the drum and is spaced radially outwardly from the surface of drum 1 and is maintained in this position by the ears 8'. The major portion of rod 8 extends substantially over the entire length of drum 1 and its purpose will be explained hereinafter.

Spindle part 4 has an inner portion 11, of noncircular and preferably square cross section, as shown in FIGURE 16. This inner portion 11 slidably and telescopically engages a blind bore 12 made in the outer spindle part 5. This bore 12 is also of noncircular cross section, as shown in FIGURE 17, being adapted to sli-dably receive the inner portion 11.

A compression coil spring 13 is located within bore 12 and abuts against inner portion 11 and against the bottom of the bore 12 and serves to move spindle part away from spindle part 4.

Spindle part 5 is provided at its outer end with an enlarged clutching head 14 defining also a finger piece or button. This clutching head 14 defines a frusto-conical surface 15 having radially outwardly protruding teeth 16 which extend longitudinally of the spindle part 5. This conical surface 15 and teeth 16 are adapted to engage a tapered central hole, made in the cap 3 and also provided with mating teeth 17.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the clutching head 14 is nor mally in clutching engagement with the clutching cap 3 and protrudes outwardly from the drum assembly. A coil spring 18 surrounds the spindle 4, 5 inside drum 1 and is secured at one end to the spindle part 5 by passing through a transverse bore 19 made therein adjacent the clutching head 14, while the other end of the spring 18 forms an L-shaped extension 18' which bears within a groove made in an abutment member 1, depending inwardly from the drum 1, being an integral part thereof.

Spring 18 urges rotation in one direction of the drum 1 with respect to the spindle 4, 5, when spindle part 5 is pressed inwardly towards spindle part 4 against the action of compression coil spring 13.

A portion of drum 1 is recessed, as shown at 20, to receive a hair mesh clamping cover or jaw 21. This clamping jaw 21 is transversely curved to conform to the cylindrical surface of drum recess 20, is of generally rectangular shape and is provided along one longitudinal edge with a hinge 22 whereby the jaw is pivotally mounted on the drum.

As shown in FIGURE 31, hinge 22 includes a hinge pin preferably formed of a spring wire having a central loOp 23 with aligned end portions. The loop 23 is pressed to be able to insert the aligned end portions through hinge ears 24 of the jaw 21 and through bores made at the edge of recess 20.

Friction material, such as sponge rubber strips 25, adheres to the inside of jaw 21 near the outer longitudinal edge thereof and is adapted to enter a groove 26 made in the recess in the closed position of the cover. The jaw 21 is maintained in closed position by being provided with a stud 27 at its outer edge, insertable into a hole 28 of the drum.

A clasp 29, in the form of a resilient hair pin member, is disposed across the hole 28 and is secured at the inside surface of drum 1 by a retaining member 30 and such that the main portion of the hair pin clasp member 29, is adapted to resiliently receive the rounded stud 27 of the jaw 21.

In the use of the hair curler and supposing that the torsion spring 16 is initially stressed, the curler is held by two fingers engaging the opposite finger pieces 7 and 14. The jaw 21 is open and the end of a mesh of hair H is disposed in the recess 20 and the jaw 21 is closed over the same to grasp the mesh of hair between jaw 21 and drum 1.

For this operation, care must be taken to insert the portion of hair issuing from the jaw 21 between the retaining L-shaped rod 8 and the outer surface of drum 1. Then, upon pressing of the finger pieces 7 and 14 one towards the other, the drum 1 automatically rotates in the direction of arrow 31 of FIGURE 2, relative to the finger pieces 7 and 14 and also relative to the L-shaped rod 8. This causes the haid mesh to wind itself on the drum 1.

It will be noted that pressing of the finger piece 14 inwardly of the drum disengages the clutching teeth 16 and 17, thereby freeing the drum 1 for rotation.

When the mesh of hair has been wound on the drum to the desired extent, the clutching head piece 14 is simply released and it immediately comes into clutching engagement with the cap 3 of the drum under action of spring 13. The hair curler can be left in position and will not become unwound due to the fact that the L-shaped rod 8 engages the hair mesh over the portion wound on the drum.

When the hair is set, it is easy to remove the hair curler. For this, it is only necessary to again press on the two finger pieces 7 and 14, to thereby declutch the drum, and pull on the hair curler. This causes unwinding rotation of the hair curler and consequent restressing of the coil Spring 18. Once the hair mesh is completely unwound, the clutching head 14 is released to clutch the drum on the spindle and the jaw 21 is open to release the end of the hair mesh. The hair curler is then immediately ready for another curling operation, the jaw being open and the coil spring 18 being stressed.

Referring to FIGURES 19 to 22, it is noted that the jaw 21 of the first embodiment can be modified. FIGURE 19 shows a jaw 32 in the form of a rectangular sheet metal element transversely curved to fit the recessed cylindrical surface of the drum 33. This jaw 32 has hinge ears, as in the first embodiment of the jaw, but instead of the stud 27, it is provided with lateral resilient lugs 35 adapted to have a snap action with the recesses 36, 37 made in the end caps 2' and 3 of the modified hair curler shown at A in FIGURE 20. This modified hair curler comprises a drum portion which is integral with the caps 2' and 3'. Otherwise, it has the same construction as the hair curler of the first embodiment.

Jaw 32 may be provided at its inside surface with friction material, such as the sponge rubber strips 25 of the first embodiment.

FIGURES 23 to 26 show still another embodiment of a hair curler, generally indicated at A", and comprising a modified hair mesh clamping jaw 38 which is pivoted at 39 to the end cap 2". The jaw itself consists of an elongated resilient strip slightly convex in its middle portion and having a bent outer end 40 forming a snapping device for engaging the recess 41 of the cap 3 of the hair curler A". Thus, in this embodiment, the cover opens longitudinally of the drum of the hair curler.

A similar embodiment is shown in FIGURES 27, 28, 29, and 30. In this case, jaw 42 opens also longitudinally of the hair curler drum 43, being hinged at one end 44 to the end cap 2" of the drum 43 and having its outer end provided with a rounded stud 45 engageable with a hole 46 made in the drum 43. A resilient hair pin clasp 47, shown in FIGURE 30, is maintained across the hole 46 and is resiliently engageable with stud 43 to retain the jaw 42 in closed position.

FIGURES 32 and 33 show yet another embodiment of the hair curler in accordance with the invention. This hair curler A' differs essentially from the hair curler of FIGURES 1 to 18 by the fact that the coil spring 18 serving to exert a winding action on the drum, is replaced by a helical spring 48 extending in the middle portion of the drum 49 and having its radially inner end secured to the outer spindle part 5, while its radially outer end is secured to a retaining member 50 integral with the inside surface of drum 49. This helical spring tends to rotate the drum so as to wind a hair mesh on the drum when the clutching portion 14 is pressed inwardly to disengage the clutching teeth of cap 3".

Reverting to FIGURE 5, it will be seen that the minimum diameter of the bore of cap 3 is substantially equal to that of the smooth cylindrical surface 14 (FIGURE 15) of head 14, so that surface 14" supports the cap 3 for rotation when head 14 is pressed in declutched position.

While preferred embodiments in accordance with the invention have been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be restorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. A hair curler comprising a hollow drum, a spindle on which said drum is rotatably mounted and protruding from both ends of said drum, torsion spring means located in said drum and attached at one end to said drum and at the other end to said spindle, to urge rotation of said drum relative to said spindle, a bar secured to said spindle and extending along and over said drum, said spindle made of two parts telescopically engaged and nonrototable relative to each other, compression spring means between said two pindle parts and urging the same away from each other, one of said spindle parts having clutching means formed thereon, said drum having mating clutching means engageable with the clutching means of said one spindle part under the action of said compression spring means, pressing on said protruding portions of said spindle parts causing declutching between said spindle and said drum to allow rotation of said drum under the action of said torsion spring means.

2. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clutching means of said one spindle part and on said drum includes a tapered bore at the end of said drum having a friction surface, and an enlarged head on said one spindle part including a frusto-conical surface constituting a friction surface engageable with the friction surface of said bore of said drum and limiting outward movement of said one spindle part with respect with the other of said spindle part under the action of said compression spring means.

3. A hair curler as claimed in claim 2, further including a cylindrical smooth surface on said enlarged head having a diameter substantially equal to the minimum diameter of said tapered bore, so that upon inward movement of said one spindle part with respect to said drum, the portion of the minimum diameter of the bore of said drum will be rotatably supported by said smooth cylindrical surface on said head.

4. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1, further including means at the outer surface of said drum to retain the outer end of a mesh of hair thereon.

5. A hair curler as claimed in claim 4, wherein said last-named means includes a jaw member pivotally mounted at the outer surface of said drum for movement between an open position exposing said drum, and a closed position covering a portion of said drum and means to removably and resiliently maintain said jaw member in closed position on said drum.

6. A hair curler as claimed in claim 2, wherein said baris secured to the protruding portion of the spindle part not provided with the clutching head.

7. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1, wherein said torsion spring means consists of a coil spring surrounding said spindle inside said drum, having one end secured to the spindle and the other end secured to the inside of said drum.

8. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1, wherein said torsion spring means includes a helical spring having one end secured to said spindle and the other end secured to the inside of said drum.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,211,991 8/1940 Stevens 13233 2,357,865 9/1944 Arbuckle 132-34 2,589,832 3/1952 Loewenstein 132- 2,595,844 5/1952 Graham 132--33 2,278,857 4/1942 Kepler 132-34 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

G. E. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner. 

